Are the work-life balance battle lines too blurred?
Work-life balance is the key to productivity and success. The ability to manage your time effectively and efficiently can help you avoid burnout, keep stress levels at bay, retain personal fulfillment at work, and protect your inner peace.
Here are 7 ways to un-blur those lines and win the work-life balance battle.
Find A Cadence
It can be difficult to set a schedule for yourself, but it is essential if you want to achieve a proper work-life balance.
The Pomodoro Technique is useful if you have trouble focusing on one task at a time and tend to multitask instead.
This technique breaks down tasks into chunks of 25 minutes each with 5 minute breaks between them. It helps you stay focused by giving yourself short bursts of work time followed by short breaks where no work is done at all.
The Eisenhower Matrix is another popular method if you prefer to organize your tasks into categories based on importance versus urgency (or relevance).
This helps make sure that nothing slips through the cracks because everything has its place in this matrix.
Set (Healthy) Boundaries
If someone were to ask you what your boundaries are, would you be able to tell them?
If your answer is no, this might be a clue to establish boundaries. Think of it this way: if you do not know your own limits, how is someone else to supposed to know them?
One of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy work-life balance is knowing your limits and adhering to them. Know what tasks require your immediate attention. Then, prioritize any other tasks based on urgency/importance.
If you get work texts or calls after business hours, respectfully share that you are unavailable. If a colleague asks you to take on a project when you are already overloaded, politely decline, but be thankful for the offer. The last thing you want is to decrease your overall quality of work.
If you’re overworked, it is likely that your productivity will decrease and your stress levels will rise.
Try Monotasking
Multitasking is a skill that every employer wants.
While it’s a high-value, critical skill, you should instead think of multitasking like sprinting. The difference between a sprint versus a marathon is that you’ll likely run out of steam faster when sprinting. Monotasking is more like a marathon in that you’re staying the course, focusing on one task at hand, at a steady pace, longer.
What’s the biggest problem with multitasking? It’s that it doesn’t always produce optimal outcomes.
When you try to do two things at once, your brain has to switch back and forth between tasks, which takes more time than if you were just focusing on one thing at a time.
Communicate And Delegate
One of the best ways to balance your work life is by delegating tasks and/or asking for help. This can be tough if you are the type who likes doing things yourself, but it’s important that you start taking on fewer projects when necessary.
Communicate with your boss and ask for guidance in managing or delegating your workload when you find yourself getting bogged down with too many things.
Delegate tasks responsibly.
This means making sure that any given task is being re-assigned to someone who has the time and ability to complete it well.
If the thought of delegating makes your palms sweat, make sure everyone is clear on what is expected of them. Over-communicating is essential in this case.
When delegating tasks between multiple people, make sure each person understands exactly what needs to be done so there aren’t any surprises later down the line.
Recharge (Consciously)
Recharging consciously requires mindfulness.
Make it a practice to be aware of your mental state. Stepping away from work and taking incremental, brief breaks throughout the day can help you reset and recharge. Don’t allow the day to rule you.
Sometimes, stepping away from your desk may help you make better decisions by enabling you to clear your head and think thoroughly instead of being reactive and responding hastily.
Conscious recharging may also help you be more productive and efficient, in addition to correcting a work-life imbalance.
Protect Your Peace
Pencil in you time. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, so make sure that are you are also fueling your interests and/or passions outside of work to unwind and stay fulfilled.
Try to schedule an appointment with yourself each week where all distractions are turned off and nothing else matters except being present. Prioritize protecting your peace in order to have a healthy work-life balance.
Also, if you have PTO, don’t forget to use it.
Turn Off
Though it is challenging to turn off when most people have their work email available on their personal phone, it’s imperative to draw a line in the sand.
Make a practice to not cave to temptation and check your work email past 6 pm or 7 pm Monday through Friday and resist the urge to check it on weekends.
Your boss and team have your phone number and, if there’s a fire that needs to be put out, they can call you. Otherwise, anything else most can likely wait until Monday.
Turning off completely to prioritize your health and wellbeing is essential in winning the work-life balance battle.
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